Gas holder



July 5, 1932- J..R. l... SANTOS 1,865,791

GAS HOLDER Filed Aug. 29, 1928 i r r 4 f i l Hwiig Patented `Fully 5, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN R. L. SANTOS, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssIGivoR To THE BARTLRTT HAY- M vso PATENT OFFICE l j COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND l GrasA HOLDER yAppiimibn mea August 29 Thisiinvention relates to gas holders and lparticularly to gas holders of the waterless lin the shell to vary the eective volume within the shell, that is, the space beneath the piston. It is important that the piston be sealed gas tight to the shell and that this seal impose no great resistance to the movement ofthe piston. p

In a copending application Serial No. 302,781 filed August 29, 1928, l have described a packing structure consisting of an annulus built up of fabric lamin and having a flanged or angular section @ne flange of the packing member lies against the periphery of the piston and the other extends radially outward into edge contact with the shell. The present application is subordinate to said copending application and is directed to a particular arrangement of the structure claimed herein in which lubricant is fed through the body of the packing structure by pressure exerted on the lubricant by gas in the holder. Consequently, the claims of the present application are not drawn broadly to the laminated packing structure disclosed, that subject matter being reserved for the copending application.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the packing element.

A portion of the shell ofthe gas holder, here indicated as cylindrical, is shown at 6.

The piston comprises a top plate structure 7 and a depending peripheral skirt or flange 8.

The skirt 8 is materially smaller in diameter than the shell 6 and in the interval between them at the lower margin of the skirt 8, is

, 192s. seriai No. 302,782.

as tar, oil, or other suitable mobile material.

The trough completely encircles the piston. Mounted with one liange submerged in the lubricant bath 12 is a packing structure indicated generally by the numeral 13 and conforming generally to the disclosure of my .co-

' packing and the shell 6.

As clearly illustrated in the drawing the tion. One flange rests in face engagement with the skirt 8 and is clamped between this skirt and an annulus 17 by the bolts 18, of

which only one is shown. From its point of. attachment to the skirt 8 the packing eX-' tends upward and outward into edge contact with the shell 6. Adjacent the contacting edge it is provided with a series of clips 19.

These are attached by bolts 21 which serve.

.6,5 packing is of angular or flanged cross secthe further purpose of clamping together the laminae which make up the packing structure 13. Each clip 19 is pivoted to a lever 22 which is hinged at 23 on a corresponding bracket 24. The bracket 24 is riveted to the... plate 7. Each lever 22 carries a loadingv weight 25 which is for the purpose of causing the lever 22 to urge the packing structure 17 into sealing contact with the shell 6!v Obviously the'pressure of gas beneath the..

piston structure exceeds the atmospheric pressure above the piston for the gas is supporting the entire weight of the piston. It follows, therefore, that the gas pressure acting on the upper surface of the lubricant bathv 12 forces lubricant through the ports 16 to the contact area betweenthe Vpacking structure 13 and the shell 6. The trap 26 is provided merelyV to prevent leakage of gas through the condensate drain port 27. This,...

port drains any liquid which condenses aboveV the packing ring 13 and discharges'it into the holder.

The piston is centered and guided by rollers 28 which are carriedfby brackets 29.A

on the piston and engage the interior face of the shell, only one bracket and roller being shown.

The invention may be embodied in various alternative forms within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a waterless gas holder the combination of a shell; a piston movable in said shell to vary the effective volume thereof; a seal for said piston comprising a fabric structure surrounding and carried by the piston, said fabric structure being formed with lubricant ports; means located beneath the seal for retaining a bath of lubricant subject solely to the pressure of the gas obtaining within the holder and into which bath the fabric eX- tends; and yielding means for urging said sealing structure into sealing engagement with the shell.

2. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a piston movable in said shell to vary the eective volume thereof; a seal for said piston comprising Va laminated fabric structure surrounding and carried by the piston, said fabric structure being L-shaped in cross section and curved outward from said piston into edge contact with the shell, said fabric' structure being formed with lubricant passages extending in the direction of the laminae; a lubricant reservoir in communication with said passages, said reservoir being located below the seal and subject solely to the gas pressure obtaining within the holder; and yielding means for urging said structure into sealing engagement with the shell.

3. In a waterless gas holder; the combination of a shell; a piston movable in the shell to vary the effective volume thereof; a laminated annular seal of substantially L-shape in cross section, one flange extending to edge contact with the shell and the other surrounding the piston and directed downward; and means for feeding lubricant through said seal in the general direction of the laminae comprising a lubricant bath into which said downwardly extending flange extends, said lubricant bath being located beneath the seal and subject solely to gas pressure obtaining within the holder.

- 4. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a piston movable in the shell to vary the ei'ective volume thereof; a packing seal on the piston and engaging the shell; means for retaining a lubricant bath below the area of engagement of said seal with the shell and subject solely to gas pressure obtaining within the holder; and connections for delivering to said area lubricant urged by such gas pressure.

5. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a piston movable in the shell to vary the effective volume thereof; a packing element contacting the shell; means for retaining a lubricant bath into which a portion of the packing element dips, said bath being subject solely to the pressure obtaining within the holder and means to deliver lubricant from the bath to the area of contact of the packing element with the shell under gas' holder pressure.

6. In a waterless gas holder, the combination of a shell; a piston movable in said shell to vary the effective volume thereof; a seal for said piston surrounding and carried by the same, said seal being formed of absorptive material; means located beneath the sea-l for retaining a lubricant bath into which bath the seal extends,said bath being subject solely to the pressure of the gas obtaining within the holder and intowhich bath the seal eX- tends; and means for urging said sealing structure into contact with the inner wall of the shell.

7. A waterless gas holder asset forth in claim 6; wherein a trap is mounted within the piston and has its upper end opening outwardly through a drain port located above the seal.

In testimony' whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JonN n. L. sANTos. 

